National briefs

Queensland Premier
Anna Bligh
said she was confident the government would recover most of the $16 million in taxpayer funds a public servant allegedly stole while working at Queensland Health. Police have yet to find 36-year-old Hohepa Morehu-Barlow, also known as Joel, who fled on Thursday after Queensland Health discovered he had allegedly stolen the money over the past three years, including $11 million in the past few weeks. Police have seized his assets including a luxury apartment, sports cars, art collection and bank accounts, worth up to $12 million. Mark Ludlow

The federal government is cracking down on businesses that fail to pass on child support payments they have deducted from employees’ wages. So far, 10 prosecutions have recovered more than $500,000 in unpaid funds. A special unit has the power to investigate employers who don’t pass the money on.AAP

An inquiry into Western Australia’s Margaret River bushfire disaster began yesterday, with former federal police commissioner
Mick Keelty
to meet with those affected. Mr Keelty, who has been given powers similar to a royal commission to investigate the cause and handling of the fire, will inspect the scene of the blaze. AAP

A delegation of trade unionists from Australia and New Zealand says it still plans to travel to Fiji despite reports it will be banned from entering the country. The union representatives arranged a three-day mission to Fiji to investigate allegations of human and labour rights abuses by Fiji’s military-led government.AAP

Career diplomat John McAnulty has been appointed as Australia’s new consul-general in Ho Chi Minh City,